Many seniors and their loved ones are determined to help their parent stay in their home as they age. This desire has prompted alternatives to senior homes and living arrangements. Here are just a few of the up and coming ideas that can help your parent stay in place as they age.

Senior Care in Garner NC: Helping Seniors Stay in Place

Homes for Seniors

Homebuilders are building homes with seniors in mind. Called universal designed homes, they are designed so that, should a senior develop any physical disabilities, it will be easy for them to remain in their home. These homes do not have stairs, light switches are no higher than 48 inches, doorways are widened to 36 inches, and window treatments have remote controls. An abundance of lighting is installed as well as cabinets and doors that have levers instead of knobs. Kitchen shelves pull out like drawers and the wood in walls are 2-by-8, making installation of grab bars easier.

Bathrooms, one of the most common areas of the home for injuries to occur, have been well lit with special waterproof incandescent lights. Showers have a step-free entry or bathtubs with a door. Grab bars have been placed in the shower and by the toilet. The toilet is two inches higher than the norm.

It Takes a Village

Some seniors are turning to each other for support. Beacon Hill Village in Boston began the idea of villages for seniors in 2001. Currently, 50 of these villages are in place in the United States. Friends and neighbors are recruited to help them, for an annual fee, with things that may become difficult for them to complete around the house.

Senior Care Provider

Senior Care Providers are available to help your parent accomplish the daily tasks of living that have become difficult for them to do on their own. They help with bathing, dressing and making sure they get from one part of the house to the other safely. They provide grocery shopping and run other errands. They offer transportation and accompany your parent on daily walks. They prepare healthy meals and keep clutter to a minimum by providing light housekeeping. One of the most important services they provide is the caring and companionship that develops between a senior care provider and those they care for—an important aspect and one that is often missing in the lives of the elderly.